Ghost of a Rose
by DarylDixon'sgirl1985
Summary: Medieval!AU, Soldier!AU. Neville Longbottom has long been the friend of Edward Plantagenet, Earl of March. When his friend's father starts the uprising that leads to the War of the Roses Neville finds himself and his girlfriend Hannah unexpectedly drawn into the fray as well. Life as a Medieval soldier is never easy but life as the friend of a king isn't either. Will Neville surviv


**Hey everyone! This story was brought to you by Public Services: Preservation of Art and Culture assignment, Insane Prompt List, Ultimate Battle Competition, Baking Kings Cakes, Hogwarts Bingo Party, and The House That Dobby Built on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Also for Shipping Wars on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Public Services: Preservation of Art and Culture assignment: Task 1 - Pick one of the following periods and use it as an AU: Stone Age, Great Depression (1929-1939), or the Medieval and Renaissance period. I chose to do a Medieval!AU**

**Insane Prompt List: 768. (AU) Soldier**

**Ultimate Battle Competition: (Rare) Pegasus Price 3,000 words have an owl in your fic.**

**Baking Kings Cakes: Step One, Purple Justice**

**Hogwarts Bingo Party: I5 Neville Longbottom**

**The House That Dobby Built: (setting) Shrieking Shack**

**Shipping Wars: Team/Ship Hannah Abbott/Neville Longbottom, Summer Medium 2 List (Different Era!AU), 3401 words**

**Warning for Medieval!AU, War of the Roses!AU, Soldier!AU, mentions of character death, historical inaccuracies (I wasn't there for the War of the Roses if you were feel free to correct any inaccuracies), and slight bit out of character. Word count is 3,401 words. I hope you all enjoy the first chapter of Ghost of a Rose. **

Neville Longbottom remembers a time before the fighting broke out between the feuding houses of York and Lancaster. He would go hunting sometimes with the older sons of the Duke of York. Edward and Edmund Plantagenet. The trio of them would go into the woods behind the Longbottom property and hunt for hours on end. Back in those lazy days before everything got so troublesome. Before roses of white and red separated people and divided the nation. Before Edmund was killed, supposedly in battle.

He had been friends with the Earl of March since they were both very young boys. So it was no surprise when Edward showed up asking for Neville's help to avenge both Edmund's and his father's death. Neville could recall it like it was yesterday.

* * *

_Neville had never seen his old friend so angry in his life before. Not that he blamed Edward for his anger. The Lancaster party that Richard of York and his son Edmund had been fighting didn't give them any quarter. It was rumored that they even murdered the son in front of his father. It made Neville sick to think of it because of his friendship with Edmund and the fact that he considered Richard like a second father. _

"_Cousin Warwick thinks that I ought to take the fight to the Lancasters," Edward said, face a bright red in his anger. _

"_Then why have you come to me?" Neville asked, not truly understanding what his friend wanted. Edward usually followed along with what the Earl of Warwick suggested. "Do you want my opinion as well? Because I think it would be foolish to bring the fight to the Lancasters. The only thing that will gain is for open war to break out. Do you really want that, Edward?"_

"_Did you hear what they did to my father and brother?" Edward began to pace. He looked a lot older than eighteen but the death of family did have that effect on someone. "I'm sure you must have."_

"_I did and I was sorry to hear about it."_

"_Warwick thinks the time is right to strike at them now." Edward looked at Neville squarely. "Unless you can give a better reason not to, besides not wanting a war on my hands, then I have to side with Warwick on this one. Considering what happened to your father I figured you would feel the same way."_

_Frank Longbottom had gone off to the fighting with Richard and Edmund, while his son Neville had gone with Edward to Wales. Frank had been cut down defending his friend and his friend's son. Neville knew this better than anyone. He had been the one to find his mother Alice dead from a broken heart. _

"_I did feel that way," Neville pointed out wisely, trying not to anger his friend, "but…"_

"_But what? You don't wish to defend their honor, is that it?"_

"_No. I wish to go about doing so in the right way."_

"_You don't think that this the right way then?"_

_Blue eyes found warm brown ones, cold anger firing full fury from them. Neville didn't want to back down. He knew he was right in his thoughts but convincing an angry Edward of that was going to be a losing battle. Even more of a losing battle than whatever one Edward was planning with Warwick. _

"_I can tell that at this moment it doesn't matter what I think," Neville pointed out. "However, I will support you in this cause, as much as it is against my better nature. You are my friend and so was Edmund."_

_That seemed to calm the six foot man down a bit. He seemed like the old affable, charming Edward now. "Then we should meet up with Warkwick and plan our next move, don't you think?"_

_Neville nodded. Allowing himself to be led from his family's castle and towards the beginning of a never ending nightmare. _

* * *

The soft hoot of the owl carrying the message from the palace alerted Neville to its presence. Looking up into the darkness of the shack he'd been forced to take refuge in for the night he saw the luminous green eyes of the owl. Holding out his arm he waited for the creature to alight with whatever news was coming from London.

The owl that alighted from the rafters was easily recognizable as the one that was used by one of his friends from Hogwarts. The tawny owl landed softly on his arm and held out its leg for him to the message attached.

With nimble fingers, although numbed by the cold, he detached the letter from the owl's leg and gave it a quick snack of birdseed. He watched as the owl ate and then flew off into the night air. Disappearing as though it hadn't even been there at all.

"What news do you have from London?" Edward asked, looking over Neville's shoulder at the parchment envelope in his trembling hands. "Does your spy speak of what the Lancastrians plan to do next?"

Neville sighed. "I haven't even opened the letter, Edward," he said, seeing the seal on the letter and knowing that it was from her hand. "It might not even be about the Lancastrian plans." Seeing Edward's ire rise he quickly placated his leader. "I will open the letter and as soon as I read I will let you know what it says."

Opening the letter quickly, he scanned over the stained yellow parchment. Hannah liked to stain her parchment different colors. It was a hobby of hers. A strange one but a hobby nonetheless. They had come up with a system, Hannah and Neville, if Hannah found out valuable information she would send it on yellow parchment like this. If not the parchment would remain unstained and free of information.

He scanned the letter once and then a second time just to be sure that he was reading it correctly. He looked up at Edward, a look that spoke volumes to both of them. He looked back down again scanning the letter once more to make sure he was absolutely sure of what he was reading.

"It says that the king has suffered a relapse of his malady," Neville said. "The queen is making plans to send a force of men against us any day now."

"The queen makes plans to attack us?" Edward asked, once again resuming his place reading over Neville's shoulder. "When? Does it say where?"

"It doesn't say either way." Neville closed the letter. "I don't think that the queen would talk about the full extent of her plans in front of her ladies in waiting. She would probably talk about such things with her husband's commanders and the leaders of her armies. Don't you think, Edward?"

"The She-wolf would do anything to take us down, Neville," Edward reminded him, not that Neville needed reminding. "She wouldn't think twice about talking in front of your…"

"Hannah." Neville's outburst stopped his king and friend short. "Her name is Hannah and she isn't just someone who gives me information. So I would appreciate not putting her into harm's way more than we already have."

Edward watched the anger fade from the round face of his brown haired friend. He really just wanted to get as much information before they were taken by surprise. "I'm sorry, Neville," he said, putting a hand on Neville's shoulder. "I never considered what personal risks you and Hannah were taking in this. But what we are doing is dangerous and we need to know as much as we can so that we can get you home safe to her. Yes?"

Neville nodded, putting his round face in his hands. He could feel the anger that had flashed through him briefly diminish. He supposed that if he was in Edward's position and he had someone with a person on the inside of the other side's camp, he'd utilize that person as much as possible too.

"Then I need you to write to Hannah, was it, and get more information on the attack. When? Where? What time do they plan to attack?"

Neville nodded. Watching as Edward left the shack, he waited until he was sure that Edward was far enough away that he wouldn't hear Neville scream. Once he was sure, or sure enough, it was safe. Neville screamed and screamed and screamed until his throat felt raw and rough from the sound. He felt more conflicted than ever. Never having meant to get Hannah involved in something so dangerous, he knew he had no other choice but to continue now.

Calming down he jotted a quick note to Hannah on the yellow parchment she'd sent a few months ago. He knew that no one would think twice about an owl flying into Hannah's window. She had quite a way with birds and animals, many people knew that much. That way no one would think that information was being smuggled out of the castle by the bird.

_Hannah,_

_I was wondering if you could possibly do me another favor? Not that you haven't done me enough favors as it is but I need one more for the time being. Your letter spoke of the queen readying for an attack on our forces. I was wondering, no hoping, that you would be able to get some more information on that attack for me. Like when and where and what time they plan to attack. I know this putting you in a lot of danger but it's also putting me in a lot of danger too. I wouldn't do or ask this of you if I didn't think you could handle it. I wouldn't put you in that much danger without knowing my cause is right and it is. I hope you can see that. _

_Neville_

He scanned the note over a couple of times. He knew that if anyone besides Hannah saw this note it could spell danger for the both of them. He also knew that the queen was taking liberties that any queen before her would never have dreamed to do while their king was alive or in the country. So if the queen could do what she was doing then why couldn't Hannah and Neville use that information against her?

Finding that nothing could be added to or taken away from the note, he sealed into the an parchment envelope much like the one Hannah had used. Whistling to his own owl that roosted overhead, he held his arm out for the owl to land on.

The small brown barn owl fluttered down, landing gracefully on Neville's arm. His grandmother had given him the owl the day he'd agreed to go with Edward to battle. The owl had been a way to keep in contact with his grandmother and Neville knew that. He also used it to keep in contact with Hannah and a couple of his other friends from his school years at Hogwarts too.

Tying the letter to the owl's leg, he whispered, "Take this Hannah Abbott. The queen's apartments in London, England."

The owl hooted and then hopped into the air. Stretching it's tawny brown wings it made it's way quickly through the window. Althea was one of the quickest owls that Neville knew. Which meant that it wouldn't be long until he had a reply from Hannah.

* * *

Halfway across the continent, Hannah sat at the side of Queen Margaret of Anjou stitching away a shirt that needed mending. The queen kept the young blonde woman running day and night on missions that were very important. At least to the queen they were important. Hannah was also given charge over the young prince's care when he was awake too which complicated things that now that Neville had her running around too.

"I heard your owl was keeping everyone awake last night," Queen Margaret said grey blue eyes staring at Hannah, as they worked on their stitching. "Was there a reason for that?"

Hannah didn't want to give Neville's secret away to the queen. That would spell not just Neville's doom but her own as well. Thinking quickly she said the first thing that came into her mind. The most reasonable thing of all.

"There was a little mouse that climbed into my room last night," Hannah said. "I saw Artemis looking at and thought it was dead until she went to attack. The poor thing was in such a fright that it didn't even have time to squeak before it scurried for cover." Hannah shook her head. "Artemis made quite a mess of the door to my room however, for which I am sorry."

"All that fuss over a little mouse?" The queen laughed. "Sometimes, Hannah, I see the Yorkists and their cause as little mice."

"How so, Your Grace?" Hannah cocked her head to the side to listen to what the queen was saying.

"They speak big words but when they hear that an attack against them is planned, which I know they know, they don't do anything."

"Perhaps in not doing anything they plan to lull us into a false sense of security, Your Grace. Perhaps they want us to think that we are safe and when we least expect it they will be the ones to attack first."

"What you say makes sense to me, Hannah," the queen said, using a gentle voice she only used with her young son, "but we also must not allow ourselves to be fooled. These Yorkists are hoping that we will think that. That way they know they will have the advantage over us in the coming battle."

"But don't they?"

The auburn haired queen glanced around the room as though she thought someone was hiding in her suite of rooms just waiting to jump out and surprise them. Seeming confident after her quick scan that one was there she leaned towards Hannah.

"We will strike the first move," the queen explained quietly. "I'm telling you this Hannah because I trust you among all the other ladies of my household. You are the only one who I can trust to be on my side about this."

"But where will we strike the first move, Your Grace?" Hannah straightened up significantly. The words from Neville's letter she'd received the night before playing over and over again in her mind. She could help him and this was the way that she could do that. She just wouldn't make it seem like that was what she was doing.

"A town called Wigmore in Herefordshire," the queen said as though this made perfect sense for the first battle of a war. "You have to promise me though you won't tell a soul outside of this room. Yourself and my commanders are the only ones who know of the plans thus far."

Hannah nodded. "I won't tell anyone."

"Your Grace, you are needed in…." The page stopped short noticing Hannah there for the first time since entering the room.

"I will be right there, you silly man," the queen waved him off. "You speak in front of Hannah. She is one of my loyal ladies in waiting."

Hannah felt a cold sensation go down her spine. She didn't feel like she was loyal to anyone nowadays. Not to the royal family, not to her friends, not to her family, and most of not to Neville with her thoughts of loyalty to the royal family and the queen. She felt so conflicted about what was happening but she also knew in her heart of hearts helping Neville was the right thing to do. Neville had promised to keep her safe after all. He'd not broken one of his promises yet and she hoped he never would.

Jotting down the information she'd gleaned from the queen she quickly sent Artemis off to find Neville and the Yorkist leader. She would help Neville end this before it got too bad. She would bring Neville home and they would...She wasn't sure what they would do but they would do it together she knew that much.

"Hannah," the queen called, "keep an eye on Edward for me."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Hannah sat back down and continued to stitch well into the evening. The young prince hadn't made a peep. He was always a peculiar young thing in Hannah's mind. He had such a dark mind for a child. Then again he was a child growing up during a period of civil unrest, that could very well attest to the young boy's state of mind. That and the maladies his father kept having. In a way she felt sorry for both Maragret and Edward. Living in a never ending state of the unknown in regards to both the king and the war that was yet to break out. Their world was marching straight to war and they were taking everyone with them.

* * *

The day of February 2 dawned bright. Neville could hear a murmuring as he quickly dressed in his battle armour. This was the day he'd trained for and dread most of his life. The day he'd have to march off to battle and possible death at the head of an army.

"Do you see it?" a black haired man in shining battle armour asked as he approached Neville from the right. "Do you see the marvelous sign that is in the sky, Lord Longbottom?"

"What sign?" Neville asked in confusion.

"Look up. There." The man pointed towards the heavens and sure enough there it was. The sign that the man had spoken about.

In the skies above were not one sun but three rising over the field that they were about charge onto and begin a war that would ravage the entire kingdom. It was a strange thing but it was a sign nonetheless. He was pretty sure he knew what this sign meant too.

Gathering his sword and climbing onto his horse he rode at a clip over to Edward and Edward's cousin Richard Neville. Both men were ready for the battle to start but all Neville wanted was for it to be over. Neville had never liked fighting with anyone but he had promised his friend that he would fight by his side. So he flanked Edward and rode forth to war.

* * *

The battle was a long hard fought thing and in the end the Yorkist side had won. Capturing at least one or more high profile leaders of the Lancastrian cause and most notably the king himself.

"This isn't over," Warwick said as he watched the king be led towards the camp. "You don't think the she-wolf is just going to allow us to take London like that, do you?"

"What do you propose then?" Neville asked, looking the earl of Warwick in the eye. "That we assume what a woman like Maragret of Anjou is capable of, is that it? We've captured her husband surely she wouldn't want any harm to come to him. Surely she would want to ransom him back from us."

"But to do that she would first have to get to Londond, would she not, Longbottom?"

"Or she could try and contact us like a rea…"

"She's a woman she won't see reason. She ca…"

"That is enough arguing," Edward said breaking up the argument that looked like it would lead to a fight between two of his loyal commanders. "Warwick is right." He turned to Earl. "I want you to take a retune of men along with our prisoner to London. Neville and I will continue on towards the midlands. We will meet you there in a few days time. Are we agreed?"

"But…"

"That will give her pause to think, Lord Warwick," Neville pointed out. "It will make it easier for us to take London."

With one last withering look for Neville, the earl of Warwick rode off to ready the prisoner, no, the captured king back to London. Neville and Edward rode off towards their eventual meeting outside of London, neither knowing that soon Edward would be a king defending his right to wear the crown. Neither one of them knew that soon she would come along and knock things even further off kilt. For right now things were going perfectly. For right now things were going the Yorkist way and that was all that mattered.

**I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Ghost of a Rose. Like I mentioned in the first Author's note please take this story with a grain of salt. There may be historical inaccuracies in it. But like I mention earlier I was around for the War of the Rose so I don't event for event what happened. The information I do know was gleaned from Wikipedia and the Phillipa Gregory series of novels The White Queen, The Red Queen, The Kingmakers Daughter, and The Lady of the Rivers. **


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